General Information
Reducing Risk of West Nile Virus

Mosquito control can be very difficult but must be attempted to not only rid
our homes of annoying bites but also to stop the spread of certain mosquito borne health
problems. In a perfect world we need only eliminate the breeding grounds of these
biting pests. This is easier said than done! Even if you eliminate all
possible breeding sites on your personal property, mosquitoes born in other areas will
still fly to your part of the world.
Eliminating all possible mosquito breeding sources - standing water, piles of cut grass
and fallen leaves, cleaning fence rows of tall grasses and weeds, keeping rain gutters
free of leaf litter and other vegetation- is indeed your starting point in an integrated
pest management program targeting disease carrying pests.In the past, we could only take care of
standing water on our own property. This left us helpless against
mosquitoes breeding in standing water for a mile or two from our own
homes. Now, an IGR is available that solves most of that "bad
neighbor" problem: NyGuard IGR.
Once Nyguard is sprayed on mosquito harborage sites (hang-outs for
mosquitoes), the insect growth regulator is transferred from sprayed
leaves and other vegetation to the legs of the female mosquito. When
this mosquito flies to standing water to lay her eggs, the IGR is then
transferred to the water. This tiny amount of Nyguard will not harm
fish or other aquatic life, but will inhibit the growth and development of
mosquito larvae. This horizontal transference is a claim that can
only be made by NyGuard IGR.
A complete mosquito control program not only eliminates breeding sources but also includes
long-term prevention (using Mosquito Dunks in bird baths,
fish ponds, drainage ditches or storm drains, lakes, pet water dishes and other mosquito
breeding grounds) and short-term knock down of mosquito larvae (Mosquito Bits) and adult mosquitoes (fogging areas on your
property to kill adult insect pests.) The evening before or morning of outdoor
activities (parties, cook outs, wedding receptions) use Mosquito
& Gnat Scat to help repel any flying insects from the area.
As added extra personal protection, use a good insect repellent on exposed skin.
Health professionals agree that an insect repellent
containing DEET is best for most people. Smaller children and other people can
use an alternative to DEET, such as CedarCide natural insect
repellent. DEET products last longer but both will help stop mosquitoes from
biting.
In this article, we will show you different methods of killing, repelling and preventing
mosquito infestations with the use of different products, both indoors
and outdoors. Of course, you should never rely on this items
as your only tools in a sensible pest management program. All possible areas where
mosquitoes breed should be eliminated, to the best of your ability and those people who
are at a higher risk for West Nile virus and its effects should avoid being outdoors
during peak hours of mosquito activity.Top of Page

Obviously if you have an indoor mosquito problem, the best solution is to seal
them out by repairing doors, screens, windows, etc.. If for some reason this is not
always possible, you can use a space spray to kill flying pests. This can be done in
one of two ways: with a hand-held pyrethrin fog (pyrethrin aerosol space spray) or with the use
of a metered aerosol dispenser. The pyrethrin
aerosol will give a quick kill of any flying insect pest indoors. Placed
strategically, an aerosol dispenser can give constant knock down of mosquitoes and flies
in an area up to 6,000 cubic feet. The dispenser uses a pyrethrin spray that
applies a small burst of natural pyrethrins every 15 minutes. Purge III is the choice of pest control operators and
restaurants. This combination (aerosol dispenser and Purge) will help eliminate
flying pests which invade homes, restaurants and other businesses. Each can of Purge
contains 3,000 metered sprays, enough to last for about 30 days.
For larger indoor jobs (warehouses or other large buildings) use an electric fogger. The most popular fogger for larger
buildings is the B&G
Flex-A-Lite Fogger. Natural pyrethrins are used for fogging
machines. Ready to Use .5% Fog can be applied without
mixing and Exciter Concentrate can be mixed at varying rates.

Fogging: This method of controlling
mosquitoes, flies and other such pests is temporary but is indeed necessary in many
instances, including health threats from severe bug populations and to prepare for an
outdoor activity where these pests are unwanted. Choose from the following foggers
for outdoor mosquito control:

Burgess and Bonide Thermal Foggers - These
units are for outdoor use only. A thermal fogger (as opposed to a cold fogger)
produces a pesticide fog or smoke by heating the fogging solution with a coil inside of
the unit. Once this coil warms up, it will produce a nice insect fog that is
directed to areas where you would like to kill mosquitoes, biting flies, gnats and other
pests. These unwanted pests not only pose a possible health threat but also make
outdoor events a frustrating experience for you, your family and guests.
Thermal Foggers are both light weight and economical for use around homes and small
businesses. Choose from Electrical Fogger
and Propane Fogger. Only
pesticides that burn can be used in this type of fogger. The following
products will burn in a thermal fogger:

Resmethrin Insect Fog - This is a ready-to-use fogging solution, to be
used outdoors only, for controlling mosquitoes, flies, biting flies and other annoying
pests. Active ingredients: .2% Resmethrin. No mixing required. Available
in quart and gallon sizes. (One quart of Burgess Bug Killer Insect Fog is included
with the purchase of each Burgess Thermal Fogger.)Resmethrin Bug Killer Insect Fogging
information.

Ready to Use Pyrethrins
- Each gallon contains 0.5% Pyrethrins and 5.0% Piperonyl Butoxide. For use in
Burgess and other thermal foggers and is also used in cold foggers. Labeled for
indoor and outdoor use. Use Permethrin Concentrate with your Pyrethrins if you want
a longer residual for outdoor insecticide applications. Each gallon of Ready
to Use Pyrethrins costs $49.50, plus S&H.

Cold Foggers - These types of fogging units do not
require insecticides to burn in order to create a mist or fog. This type of fog is
considered cleaner and can be used indoors and outdoors to kill unwanted flying or biting
pests. B&G Electric Foggers are the choice of professionals who frequently fog
homes, restaurants, warehouses, patios and other selected outdoor areas.B&G Professional
Fogger Information

Surface Spray In many cases you
might find mosquitoes resting or "lighting" on certain shrubs, small trees,
ground cover and other such vegetation. Nyguard IGR and Temp WP is an
excellent combination to use in this case. The wettable powder concentrate leaves an
excellent residual for long-term control of insects.
Onslaught, Talstar, Tempo and D-Fense SC are good insecticide concentrates for combining
with Nyguard IGR for mosquito control on vegetation.
An initial treatment of NyGuard ONLY will aid in the spread of NyGuard IGR to
numerous mosquito breeding sites that are located miles away from your
home. Spray all foliage, grass or other vegetation where mosquitoes prefer
to rest in the mornings and early evenings. Let the mosquitoes do the work
for you by transferring NyGuard IGR on their legs to where they will lay their
eggs.

Nyguard IGR will be transferred from areas you spray to the standing water
where
mosquitoes lay their eggs. See Nyguard Mosquito
IGR.
When treating for mosquitoes,
lightly spray top and bottom surfaces of foliage. More information on this
Nyguard transference.

Reducing Risk of West Nile Virus

Stay indoors during peak mosquito activity. This is usually at dawn, dusk,
early evening. If you must be outdoors during these periods, protect yourself by
using DEET on exposed skin and wear more
protective clothing.

Wear long pants (instead of shorts) and long sleeves when outdoors.

Spray clothing with Permethrin (make sure
that you only use products labeled for your clothing!) or DEET. Look for the words
"DEET" or N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide on the label. DEET is available in
different strength formulations. Use 35% active ingredient or higher; children
should not use more than 10% DEET or make sure that they use a DEET-free product such as CedarCide.

Avoid eye contact with insect repellents. Small children will often rub their
eyes, transferring the material from their hands to their face. Always read and
follow label instructions.

It is usually not necessary to apply heavy amounts of insect repellents to your
skin. If a thin layer does not seem to repel your flying pests, you can easily apply
another layer. When you return indoors, remove the repellents with soap and
water. If you have treated your clothing with DEET
or Permethrin, wash these articles separately.

Check all windows and door screens. Do not give the mosquitoes an entrance into
your home.

Vitamin B and ultrasonic devices are not effective against mosquitoes.